


heavy stones fear no weather

by Poteto



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Beast!Oikawa, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Beauty!Iwaizumi, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Oikawa is basically a tree, Secret Santa 2017, Sparring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 15:31:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13126593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poteto/pseuds/Poteto
Summary: Oikawa Tooru is doomed to be a beast for the rest of his days for a foolish mistake and he has accepted his cursed fate.Then a brute knight makes his way into Oikawa's life.





	heavy stones fear no weather

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elleh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elleh/gifts).



> I find comfort in the sound  
> And the shape of the heart  
> How it echoes through the chest  
> From under the ground  
> (Empire - Of monster and men)

Oikawa Tooru thinks solitude is easy. He used to work hard, put on a facade when it was convenient. Revealing his true self was always a dangerous game - and one that ended up with him cursed. In many ways, the curse is a bless. He doesn't have to pretend, because there isn't anyone to pretend to.

That doesn't mean it is the best way. As he is, sometimes he wishes—

No. Those are foolish thoughts. It’s easier to believe the curse is useful. He’s stronger now. He doesn’t have to pretend anymore. He’s alone, yes, but he can use the curse in his favor.

He might be a monster inside and out, but he's doomed to forever live with what he once wished – complete solitude. And that is fine. He's come to terms with it. However, he is but human – if a bit modified – and, after years and years of the same routine, he starts to get depressed. Being the king of no one got old seven long years ago.

 

He usually avoids the windows. He had broken all the mirrors in the manor years ago, but any vaguely reflective surface makes him anxious. He does, however, need to stay in the sun at least once a day, otherwise he grows severely ill. He's sunbathing next to one of the windows of his chambers when movement catches his eyes.

Under the sunset light, a knight in silver armor proudly marches. Oikawa frowns. That knight must be extremely unlucky or ridiculously lost. It's been years since the last time he had a visitor he doesn't see why a knight of all people would come to disturb him.

The knight has scratches all over his armor, showing he's no stranger to the art of fighting. He probably had a horse at some point, judging by the size and shape of his sword and the fact that he managed to get to this part of the forest at all, but there's no sign of the animal around. It’s obvious that the knight has been traveling for a long time, but his eyes don’t show any sign of tiredness. Rather, there is a fiery determination in there that Oikawa hasn’t seen in years.

"It'll be like the old times," Oikawa says to himself, and turns around to head downstairs.

Having someone invade his property makes him feel a tad conflicted, taking into consideration his acceptance of his fate and the fact that he's bored out of his skull. As he crosses the entrance hall, he wonders how the knight will react to his appearance. Will he scream in fear? Some had done that before. Although, judging by the prideful way the knight carries himself, it's not very likely. Will he recoil in disgust? Oikawa can see that. That knight looks like the kind of person that will feel personally offended by the existence of something so horrendous. He probably will want to kill Oikawa with his own hands.

Oikawa has had his fair share of attackers throughout the years. Warriors and knights, fighters and adventurers, that hear about the cursed manor in the darkest, deepest part of the forest and the monster that inhabits it. They come, eager to destroy him for no other reason than the way he looks.

Oikawa had fought them. Had sent them away. But they always come back to end him.

As if they could.

Oikawa shakes his head. There’s no use thinking about it. He isn’t in the mood for playing games. Instead, he smiles somberly as the doors of the manor open themselves at his will and he gracefully steps outside, revealing his monstrous form to the approaching knight.

His once rich clothes are torn in several places, uncared for. His skin, once rosy and smooth, has turned into something bumpy and ill-colored, as the trunk of a rotten log. The veins on his arms are visible and they almost look like poisonous vines under his deformed skin. Antlers, like those of a deer, adorn his head. Oikawa looks like a monster. A demon. No wonder every years months someone shows up to attempt to kill him.

"Why, hello," Oikawa says with a wicked grin. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

The knight had stopped upon hearing the doors opening and his gaze is fixed on Oikawa. He doesn’t scream in horror. He doesn’t gag in disgust. He narrows his eyes almost imperceptibly and that’s all reaction he shows. His stern face stays like that. Serious and sober, unrevealing even when Tooru smiles at him. He isn’t even wearing a helmet.

"I am Iwaizumi Hajime from the village of Kitagawa Daichi," he says. "I am here for the magic rose of Aoba Johsai."

The knight's voice sounds hoarse. Brutish. It suits him.

"You are, are you?" Oikawa laughs. "That won't be possible now. Why don't you come back in a few years?"

"Where can I find the rose?" The knight insists as though he hadn't heard Oikawa.

"You can't," Oikawa says, "there is no rose."

"I've been warned about you," the knight says. "A beast that protects the manor and won't let anyone get anywhere near the magic rose. Out of my way, I'll look for it myself."

"Now, now, stubbornness is unbecoming," Oikawa teases. "You... Iwaizumi Hajime, was it? Your mother didn't tell you not to tell your name to magic folk? I have power over you now."

Unafraid, Iwaizumi puts a hand on the hilt of his sword. "Tell me where the rose is or I'll take you out of the way forcefully, beast."

Oikawa lets out a heavy sigh. "Well, you asked for it."

Without preamble, Oikawa launches himself at the knight. Iwaizumi barely has time to unsheathe his weapon before vicious vines whip at him like snakes trying to capture him. Despite the inadequacy of the sword for this fight, the knight cuts the vines and tries to attack Oikawa directly.

He swings his sword with deadly precision, but he's no used to opponents like Oikawa. Oikawa, who controls the manor as a part of his body. The plants of the abandoned yard act as his shield, even the grass catching at Iwaizumi's feet and attempting to stop him from advancing, slowing him down.

It isn't long before Iwaizumi finds himself trapped, the vines firmly wrapped around his body as an anaconda.

"GET OUT!" Oikawa yells at his face, revealing his fang like teeth, his eyes glowing with anger and hatred.

This is the point where most warriors start begging for their lives or cursing at the foul beast of the magic manor. Iwaizumi Hajime, however, just glares at Oikawa as though the beast is the most annoying thing he had ever set his eyes on.

"I won't leave without that damn rose, you piece of trash," he barks.

Oikawa stares at him, dumbfounded. "What kind of knight are you?"

"The kind that will take that magic rose home or not return home at all," he says, struggling against Oikawa's magic vines. "Now let me go and fight me seriously!"

Oikawa tosses him out of the property, ignoring the shouts and curses. He hopes he had broken a few bones in the fall. Oikawa doesn't need that kind of nuisance.

 

Before the sun rises, the knight is back, banging on the door and demanding Oikawa goes and either confronts him or hands over the rose.

He'll tire of it, Oikawa thinks to himself.

"I kinda like this one," a distant voice says and it makes Oikawa almost jump out of his skin.

He turns to find himself staring at two translucid figures, one bulky and blond, with dark circles under his eyes and the other lean and elegant. Kyoutani and Yahaba, an annoying duo of spirits that has the habit when appearing when Oikawa least needs them to.

"You like an annoying knight that has come here to slaughter me?" Oikawa asks.

Kyoutani shrugs. "He's headstrong and brave. What's there not to like?"

Yahaba floats to the window and takes a peek outside. "What are you planning to do with him, Tooru?"

"Nothing," Oikawa says, a little affronted. "He's but a small nuisance. He'll get tired of pestering me and leave."

"He doesn't look like the type that gives up easily," Yahaba comments idly.

"Easy or not, I'm too old to deal with this," Oikawa says with a dismissive gesture.

"You're, like, 12," Kyoutani argues.

"He's 24, Kentarou."

"Shut the hell up, pretty boy."

"Oh, so you think I'm pretty?"

Oikawa sighs and decides to go upstairs. Kyoutani and Yahaba are more of an annoyance than company when they appear together, so he decides to leave them to their usual activities. He needs a good night of rest.

 

In the end, Yahaba was right about Iwaizumi. The knight sets a precarious camp next to the manor and waits. He tries to break in – Oikawa feels it when he attempts to kick down the magic doors – but to no avail. That's when he resorts to calling Oikawa names and challenging him for a duel.

Oikawa hates it. He can't get anywhere near the windows without being pestered by Iwaizumi Hajime and, after three days, he's both annoyed and starved.

"Just go out and fight him like a man," Kyoutani says at one morning.

Oikawa just glares at him until he rolls his eyes and vanishes. The spirits have been much more active since the day Iwaizumi arrived. Oikawa doesn't know of it's because of his presence or in spite of it, but he must do something about it.

Oikawa steps outside for the first time in three days and finds Iwaizumi Hajime making a circle of rocks to start a fire. The knight jumps to his feet as soon as he sees Oikawa.

"I thought I told you to leave," Oikawa says.

"I thought I told you I'm not leaving without that flower," Iwaizumi retorts.

And they start fighting once again. Unlike last time, Oikawa is weakened, but he still has the advantage. Oikawa lashes out his pent-up rage at the knight, but Iwaizumi doesn't show any signs of weakness. Rather, he fights valiantly even though he's at clear disadvantage.

Iwaizumi doesn't stop until he's lying on his back, Oikawa's foot firmly planted on his chest and stopping him from getting up.

"Leave," Oikawa says coldly.

"Without the rose--" Iwaizumi drops his sword and grabs Oikawa's ankle with his two hands. "-- I won't!"

Oikawa lets out a shameful yelp when Iwaizumi pulls at his leg with all of his strength and he falls on his back in the most undignified manner. He hears laughter coming from the manor and turns just in time to glare at one shadowy figure disappearing inside before he can say anything else. Matsukawa, that's for sure.

He turns his annoyed glare back to Iwaizumi as he struggles to straighten himself.

"Fine! Stay here! Winter is upon us and you'll freeze to death soon enough! See if I care!"

Iwaizumi gives him a curious look as he turns around and stomps his way back to the safety of the manor.

For the first time, Iwaizumi doesn't call after him, but Oikawa is too pissed off to notice.

 

It becomes routine. Every morning Oikawa steps out for his once peaceful sunbathe only to find an angry knight waiting for him to duel.

Oikawa indulges him. Most days, he wins without breaking a sweat. In some days, Iwaizumi manages to catch him by surprise with a very calculated strike, but he is never anywhere close to winning. One would think he'd grow tired of it. No man can be ambitious to the point they spend so many nights sleeping in the open and eating poorly just to hopelessly fight a supernatural being on the next morning.

Oikawa worries Iwaizumi will end up starving to death and ruining his already dismantled yard forever, so he orders the trees to grow some fruit overnight. The prideful knight, much to Oikawa's annoyance, doesn't seem to trust the magic trees and goes out every afternoon seeking for food.

Stupid brute.

 

As winter approaches, Oikawa starts genuinely worrying that Iwaizumi will turn into an oversized popsicle in shiny armor right in the middle of his yard. Still, the knight shows no signs of wanting to leave, his small pathetic camp an eyesore in the middle of a perfectly declining abandoned garden.

Oikawa has yet to meet someone more stubborn.

"He reminds me of you," Matsukawa says one afternoon.

They're in Oikawa's chambers, on the highest floor, where they can barely recognize Iwaizumi’s shape outside.

The room is unusually crowded, too. Matsukawa is there, looking at Iwaizumi through the window. Yahaba and Kyoutani can be seen playing cards – where did they even get a deck, being ghosts? – on a corner and even Kunimi, a spirit that hardly ever shows up or talks to anyone, is there. They're definitely there because of Iwaizumi.

"How is that a brutish common warrior such as him makes you think of me?" Oikawa asks, irked.

"I wonder how," Matsukawa snorts.

"You keep saying he's a brute," Kyoutani intervenes, "but he's clearly a trained knight, judging by his fighting style."

Not only they're there because of Iwaizumi, they're starting to like him. Oikawa pouts at the four spirits that have been not-living in his manor for years.

"Trained or not, he's rude," Oikawa says. "And his face is shaped like a rock. Hah. And his name is Iwaizumi. Isn't that funny?"

"I don't know what you mean by shaped like a rock," Yahaba says idly. "I think he's really handsome."

Kyoutani almost drops his cards. "What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said." Yahaba raises an eyebrow. "He's really handsome. I've seen you staring at him, so I know you think so, too."

Kyoutani flushes unevenly – or, as much as a ghost can flush, with his pale, translucid cheeks.

"I was not staring!"

Kunimi has been so quiet Oikawa almost forgot he was in the room too, but he makes his presence known by gently floating closer to the window. When he speaks, he does it so softly that Yahaba and Kyoutani, that have started arguing loudly, probably didn't hear.

"Oikawa-san, don't you think that this knight perhaps..."

"No," Oikawa cuts him off. "Don't even think about it, Kunimi."

"Why not?" Kunimi's face is calm and his tone of voice is reasonable. It's hard to argue with him when he looks so unperturbed. "All of these years, we've been waiting for a maiden that would come and save you, but the curse doesn't say anything about gender. Perhaps that knight can be the one."

"I have been waiting for no one," Oikawa retorts dryly. "There's no breaking my curse. I'm sorry, Kunimi. The sooner you accept this, the better."

Much to Oikawa's exasperation, Kunimi doesn't look disappointed at that. He shrugs as though he doesn't quite agree, but doesn't think it's worth it to keep arguing. Sometimes, Kunimi is Oikawa's favorite spirit. Most times, he's the most annoying of them all.

"Anyway," Matsukawa interrupts, "if you're not using him, then get rid of him. I give one week or two before starts snowing. He'll freeze to death. I can't feel the weather, but I'm assuming it's already getting cold by now?"

Oikawa doesn't answer that. He looks at Iwaizumi's lone silhouette against the desert yard. The knight looks a tad pathetic preparing his dumb fire for the night. He'll probably be dead before winter fully arrives.

 

Usually, winter is the most melancholic period of the year. Like the magic plants in the property, Oikawa gets sluggish and weak, as though he's yearning for a long slumber until spring. He refuses to give in to the urge, because that seasonal weakness makes him feel like what's left of his humanity is slipping away. He physically feels his time running out, the loneliness consuming him and the inevitableness of his fate closing in.

On that winter, however, there's something else that keeps Oikawa awake. The sheer bother that is Iwaizumi Hajime.

For a couple of days, Oikawa refuses to go outside, wondering if the silence will make Iwaizumi go away. It doesn’t.

On the morning of the first snow, he’s feeling weak and dizzy, in a dire need of some sunlight. Oikawa steps out to find the knight trembling. For some reason, that sight makes Oikawa decide he’s had enough. Call him selfish, but he’s tired of being a disgusting beast, a creature forsaken for God themselves, that’s only looked for by ambitious scoundrels like Iwaizumi. Men weakened to their limits that might just drop dead at any moment.

Still, Iwaizumi jumps to his feet and draws his now dented sword.

"Hush, I'm not fighting someone as pathetic as you," Oikawa says with disgust.

"Fight me and I'll show you pathetic," Iwaizumi taunts.

"I'm sure you will, which is why I'm refusing your idiotic challenge. Why do you want the rose so badly? Are you so ambitious you're willing to kill yourself for it?"

"I have my reasons," Iwaizumi says.

Oikawa scoffs and walks past him without bothering to raise his shields. As he expected, Iwaizumi doesn’t take the opportunity to attack.

“If you’re not leaving, then I am,” Oikawa bluffs.

It isn’t as effective as he hoped, for Iwaizumi doesn’t move. Perhaps it’s the winter making Oikawa’s brain hazy, but, in his mind, his plan makes a lot of sense. He had forgotten Iwaizumi has no way of knowing that he can’t get to the rose without Oikawa.

When he’s approaching the gates, however, Iwaizumi lets out a surprised gasp. The only problem is that he isn’t impressed by Oikawa’s daring move.

“What are you doing?” Matsukawa asks, gently floating in front of the gates.

“Leaving,” Oikawa says.

“You and I know that that’s not possible. Go home, Tooru.”

 _I have no home_ , Oikawa wants to say. Because what is home? That cold, lonely manor? With its ghostly not-really-there inhabitants? Oikawa is tired and angry and frustrated. He hasn’t eaten any real food in years. He hasn’t touched another human being – if he can still be considered human himself – since he was a foolish teenager that didn’t know better than taunt an enchantress.

“Out of my way, Matsun,” he says simply.

“Tooru,” Matsukawa pleads, his voice unusually worried.

“Hey,” Iwaizumi calls, “if you’re not here to stop me, I’m invading your house and ravaging it after what I want.”

Maybe the winter is really affecting him, because Oikawa could swear Iwaizumi sounds worried.

He walks right through Matsukawa without hesitation, what earns him a soft gasp. Usually Oikawa avoids going through the spirits. Not only it’s a cold, uncomfortable experience, it upsets them. It makes them remember they have no physical bodies and there’s nothing they can do about it.

For the first time in years, Oikawa steps out of his property.

He can swear he hears muffled, panicked voices behind him – Yahaba? Matsukawa? Are they talking to Iwaizumi? – but it’s very hard to focus on them. Every step he takes away from the manor makes him feel weaker, emptier, _drier,_ like a flower that’s been picked and has no other option other than rot.

Around the manor, there is nothing but woods for kilometers. The enchantress made sure it was this way, so it would be impossible for Oikawa to break the curse. He isn't supposed to go out either.

He isn't sure what he's trying to accomplish by leaving. He isn't thinking. He's just too fed up with everything. Somehow, Iwaizumi's presence made things worse. And not just because he won't stop challenging Oikawa to fight him. It's because, unlike Oikawa and the spirits, Iwaizumi can leave whenever he pleases. He chooses to stay out of stubbornness and ambition and Oikawa can't forgive him for that. It makes him so damn frustrated.

At some point, he stops walking. It is as though something invisible is pulling him back. As if he's rooted in the manor and this is the limit. Oikawa feels frustrated tears pooling in his eyes.

"Hey," a gruff voice calls. Iwaizumi had followed him. "Idiot. What are you doing? Those ghosts said you're going to die if you don't go back home."

"I don't wanna go home," Oikawa says. "Home is cold and empty and weirdoes like you come to steal my rose."

"I thought you didn't have the rose."

"Did I say that?"

"Dumbass."

Iwaizumi reaches for him and Oikawa freezes where he is, his shoulders square and tense. Because Iwaizumi just casually stretches out his hand and puts it on Oikawa's arm, as if to guide him back. When was the last time Oikawa had felt the touch of another human being? Was it before the curse? Even then...

"Holy mother, are you always like this?" Iwaizumi pulls him closer without any delicacy and slaps a hand on his forehead. "I think you got a fever. Can you get fevers?"

Oikawa wants to tell Iwaizumi how winter affects him, but he can't seem to find the right words. Instead, he stutters and says something incomprehensible, because Iwaizumi is still touching him as if this is nothing. As if Oikawa is just another regular young man instead of a monster.

"That's it, I'm taking you back. You're so freaking dumb, you know that?"

Oikawa wants to point out that Iwaizumi was the one camping during winter, but his throat feels oddly swollen. Iwaizumi has a firm grip on his wrist and he is guiding Oikawa back to the cursed manor. Oikawa doesn't fight it. He wouldn't have if he could and he definitely can't. He's feeling very weak and his vision is starting to swim.

"You dumb," Oikawa mumbles weakly.

"What was that?" Iwaizumi barks. And then he turns his eyes to Oikawa. "Whoa, what is wrong? Are you going to puke? Do you need to stop?"

But Iwaizumi's voice starts to sound really distant. Oikawa's vision goes black.

 

"So you're saying there's fucking nothing we can do?"

"Like I was trying to explain, he needs to rest. Winter doesn't do him good. He wasn't able to get proper sunlight in days because it's been so cloudy."

"He takes his life force from the sun? That's freaky."

"Iwaizumi-san, he's been using moving plants to fight you since the day you've arrived. Where he gets his nutrition from hardly the strangest thing about him."

They're talking about me, Oikawa realizes, a little bothered. Why are they talking about him? Where is he?

He's warm, that's for sure, safely tucked in soft blankets, his head nested in something comfortable. He's tempted to turn around and go back to sleep, but his body feels too heavy to move. The current position isn't comfortable enough that he's able to return to blissful unconsciousness. Besides, there was a reason he didn't want to sleep. The winter, probably.

But what about the winter that made him not want to sleep?

Well... Whatever. He decides to listen to the voices instead.

"What does he do during winter, then?" The first voice asks. A grouchy, hoarse voice. Iwaizumi, Oikawa realizes. "Does he, like, hibernate?"

"We wish," someone sighs heavily. Matsukawa. "No, he just needs to rest a bit. He should be fine in a bit."

"There must be something else we can do," Iwaizumi insists.

"You've done more than enough, Iwaizumi. You brought him back to the manor. It's more than I or any of the others could have done."

Hearing that conversation brings back fuzzy memories. Oikawa remembers going out for his daily confrontation with Iwaizumi, but, for some reason, the sight of the knight made him so irrationally angry that he decided to almost get himself killed instead. To present Oikawa, past Oikawa's actions make no sense. But he remembers them. He also remembers Iwaizumi telling him he had a fever. That sounded about right.

Then he had passed out and Iwaizumi- Wait. What?

Oikawa's eyes fly open and he tries to sit up too fast. He gets dizzy and falls back to the pillow almost immediately.

"He's awake," Matsukawa says.

"Finally!" Iwaizumi hurries to Oikawa's bedside. "I thought you were already dead."

"Iwa-chan," Oikawa says hazily.

"What the fuck," Iwaizumi replies.

"How did I end up here?" He asks.

"Iwaizumi brought you back after your little stunt drained all of your energy," Matsukawa explains calmly. "What do we say in a situation like this, Tooru?"

"Why did you do that?"

Matsukawa tsks. "No! We say 'thank you', you spoiled brat." He turns to Iwaizumi and bows. "I'm sorry about this child's behavior. I didn't raise him to be so rude."

"You didn't raise me, why would you say that?" Oikawa wails and then, to Iwaizumi, "he didn't raise me!"

"I don't care about who raised you," Iwaizumi says.

A moment of silence follows that odd exchange. Matsukawa waits to see if either Oikawa or Iwaizumi is going to break it, but both remain quiet for once.

"Well, this has been fun," he says, "but I have business to attend to, so I'll give you some privacy. Tooru, you have a guest now, so behave, will you? Don't do anything Yahaba wouldn't."

And, with that confusing farewell, Matsukawa vanishes before their eyes. Oikawa hates it when they do that.

"You have an interesting parent," Iwaizumi says.

"He's not my parent," Oikawa retorts. "He's been here for only a couple of years. This is my manor since I was born."

Iwaizumi frowns at him as though he's trying hard to understand something difficult. Oikawa thinks this is the time for him to make a witty comment about Iwaizumi's lack of brains, but he can think of none. First, because his brain still feels as though it was fried in hot oil. Second, because for the first time since he arrived, Iwaizumi isn't wearing his armor.

He manages to still look impressive, which Oikawa finds distracting.

"Have you..." Iwaizumi clears his throat, catching Oikawa's attention again. "Have you murdered them?"

Oikawa stares at him. "Why you- No! I would never- What on Earth are you thinking?"

"I thought so, I just- I just had to ask," he says apologetically. "Why are they here? There are other ghosts. I saw them. They talked to me. It would make sense if your victims stayed trapped here after you ended them, but... They're not victims. They're your friends."

"They're cursed. Like I am. Got lost in the woods, slept in the wrong fairy ring. The enchantress that cursed me trapped them here. Although..." Oikawa glances at his ruined skin. "Well, our curses are a little different."

"So you're really not a beast," Iwaizumi says, "you're cursed."

Oikawa pouts. He had called himself a beast and a monster so often in his head that he thought he had gotten used to it. There's no other name for what he is, really. However, it seems that hearing others saying that doesn't feel the same. It still hurts.

"Iwa-chan, are you perhaps an idiot?"

Iwaizumi glares at him. "What did you call me?"

"An idiot."

"No, before that."

"Iwa-chan. 'Cuz you're like a- Oh, forget it. You're too dumb to get it."

Iwaizumi starts cracking his knuckles threateningly. "You wanna repeat that?"

"Iwa-chan is an idiot," Oikawa repeats stubbornly. "If you thought I was just a beast, why didn't you kill me? You want my magic rose, don't you? I was weak and delirious. If you had killed me then-"

Iwaizumi looks horrified when he interrupts Oikawa. "I wasn't going to attack you while you had no means to defend yourself!"

"Oh?"

"I wasn't," he insists. "If I don't defeat you properly, I have no right to- Why haven't _you_ killed me?"

"Come again?" Oikawa says with a frown. "Have you not understood that I was weak and feverish?"

"Not today," Iwaizumi waves him off. "During all of our fights. You use powers I haven't heard of and you win every time. You could have gotten rid of me weeks ago."

"I'm not a murderer," Oikawa says. "Just because I look like a monster doesn't mean I have to act like one."

Man and beast glare at each other in silence. If Oikawa didn't know any better, he could swear the expression in Iwaizumi's eyes was one of admiration.

"I'm sorry I've been a burden," Iwaizumi blurts. "But I have my reasons not to give up. I'll keep challenging you for your rose. As soon as you have recovered."

Oikawa groans. "What is the point? You'll never defeat me."

"I would have defeated you already if you fought like a human being," Iwaizumi complain.

"As if!"

"I definitely would."

"Would not."

"Would too."

"Would not!"

"Give it a shot, then," Iwaizumi says. "Once you recover, fight me without using your magic powers."

"You're going to cheat for my rose."

"I give you my word that I will not. I have an idea: you fight me without magic, but not for the rose."

Oikawa frowns. "We fight for what then?"

"Honor. You doubted my fighting skills, I have to prove you wrong."

Oikawa frowns. He should be suspicious that this is all an elaborate ploy to find and steal his magic rose. However, Iwaizumi already had the opportunity to seek it and steal it, but he had chosen to take care of Oikawa instead. If this is a plan, not only it's too complicated for a brawls-over-brains type like Iwaizumi, but it doesn't make any sense. The only possible answer here is that Iwaizumi is being sincere.

"You're a strange knight, Iwaizumi Hajime."

"Does that mean you accept my challenge?"

"Sure, whatever.”

Iwaizumi smiles softly at him and Oikawa is compelled to look away. He looks genuinely satisfied with that small victory

“I guess…” Oikawa starts shyly. He needs to clear his throat before making a second attempt. “I guess you can stay here. As a guest."

Iwaizumi raises an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid I'm going to steal your rose?"

 _No_ , would be the honest answer. However, Oikawa can't explain why he trusts this odd knight without talking about how reliable he looks or about there is something in his sharp eyes that puts Oikawa at ease. Especially considering how it doesn't add up that someone that acts so mighty and noble would be ambitious enough to go this far for the magic flower.

Deciding all of this is too complicated for his sick self, he just adjusts himself against his soft pillows and says:

"I'm allowing you in because I'm certain you can't steal it, regardless of how much you try to."

He studies Iwaizumi's expression, hopping to see disappointment in a frustrated plan. All he sees is resigned determination.

Iwaizumi makes no damn sense.

"You haven't told me your name," Iwaizumi says. "That ghost... He called you Tooru?"

Oikawa shivers. Hearing his name in a non-ghostly voice... No, hearing Iwaizumi casually say his name in his gruff voice does funny things with his heart.

"Oikawa," he says. "You may call me Oikawa."

A nod. "It's nice to meet you, Oikawa."

"Whatever, Iwa-chan."

 

Turns out, all Oikawa needed was a semi-stress-free night of sleep. With the knowledge that there isn't anyone dying of hypothermia in his yard, he sleeps deeply and heavily for ten hours straight.

When he wakes up alone in his room, he does worry a little about where Iwaizumi might have wandered to, but he feels his rose is still unperturbed. Furthermore, he doesn't need to look too hard. He finds Iwaizumi in the kitchen in the company of half of the spirits, eating an apple and describing something about swords. Yahaba and Kyoutani listen to him, starry eyed.

"What are you doing?" Oikawa asks.

"Tooru!" Yahaba flies to his side. "Are you feeling all right?"

Oikawa flushes guiltily. His friends must have been really frightened at his actions from the past day.

"I am. I'm sorry I acted so out of character. I wasn't thinking."

"That you weren't," Kyoutani says. "You almost made Yahaba cry." He tries to sound mocking, but Oikawa can hear the genuine resentment behind it.

"I'm sorry," he repeats.

"No harm done," Yahaba says cheerfully. "And Iwaizumi-san here was telling us he's going to teach you how to fight properly today. That sounds fun!"

" _Iwaizumi-san_ is going to teach me, huh?" Oikawa turns to the knight with his hands on his hips. "Iwa-chan is awfully self-conceited, isn't he?"

Iwaizumi shrugs and takes another bite of his apple, like an asshole. "I've seen you fighting. You think too much."

"I guess there's just one way to see that, isn't there?"

With a grin, Iwaizumi puts away what’s left of his apple and turns to go outside. Oikawa follows him closely.

It hasn’t snowed again, but it’s still cold. Oikawa shakes his head and stretches his arms. He doesn’t feel as dizzy as he did the day before, he probably can do this. Iwaizumi isn’t wearing his armor again and he doesn’t have his sword, the cocky bastard, so Oikawa makes a mental note to wipe the floor with his smug grin. When Iwaizumi turns to him and waves his hand in invitation, Oikawa is already attacking.

Oikawa throws a punch and Iwaizumi ducks. It feels weird to fight like this. Something within him tells him to use his powers, to call the vines to help him, but that would defeat the purpose of this exercise. Suddenly, he realizes this isn’t _just_ about proving Iwaizumi wrong. This is about proving he still has a human side in him.

Iwaizumi doesn’t try to attack back at first, which makes Oikawa beyond irritated. In response, Oikawa pushes him, slowly getting the hang of it. He had done this before, years earlier, he just needs to remember. He punches, kicks and hits, pressing Iwaizumi, making him work to avoid getting his nose broken. The knight starts to sweat despite the cold, breathing hard and putting effort in avoiding and deflecting Oikawa blows. Then finally – finally! – he hits back.

Oikawa throws an obvious punch at Iwaizumi’s face. The knight is forced to duck and almost falls on his back. On the last moment, Iwaizumi balances his weight on one hand. He kicks at Oikawa’s shins, making him jump out of his reach to avoid it and gaining enough space to get on his feet again. Iwaizumi is obviously an experienced fighter.

They fight hard. Exchanging punches, kicks and heavy hits, trying to overpower one another until their muscles ache in protest. The pain, however, is satisfactory. Oikawa didn’t realize how much he needed this. For years, the only ways he had to spend his time were reading the same books over and over and walking around the manor. He hadn’t realized how much he missed having the adrenaline rush of a sparring partner.

After a while, it becomes obvious that Iwaizumi isn’t giving his everything. He clearly outmatches Oikawa in hand-to-hand combat. He proves that by grabbing Oikawa’s wrist at some point and pulling him closer. Oikawa yelps as Iwaizumi spins him suddenly and twists his arm on his back, effectively immobilizing him.

“Iwa-chan, you brute! Cheater!” Oikawa wails.

“How is this cheating?” Iwaizumi pants. “This is winning.”

“This is horse crap. I want a rematch.”

“I rematch will have the same result,” Iwaizumi says and Oikawa can hear a smug grin in his voice as he releases him.

Oikawa massages his wrist and pouts. “How are you not tired?”

Iwaizumi laughs. “I’ve trained hard for years. You’re not bad, but you’re too rusty. For how long have you fought only with your magic powers?”

Oikawa considers that. “Too long,” he says. He just accepted those powers, as they were one of the perks of being cursed. A compensation for a miserable existence, if you must. However, wasn’t that just embracing the beast? Becoming it?

“Iwa-chan,” he says, his expression serious. “You said you were going to teach me how to fight like a human. I thought I knew, but I forgot years ago. Will you teach me how to fight like a knight?”

Iwaizumi grins. “I guess I can use a sparring partner.”

**Author's Note:**

> What is up with the rose? Why does Iwa-chan want it? Why is Oikawa cursed anyway? I broke this fic in three chapter for cliffhanger purposes, I hope it is enjoyable nonetheless :3c  
> Merry Christmas!!


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